Easel.



' E. s. FRENCH & w. H. CARSON.

EASEL. APPLICATIN FILED NOV. I9, 1913.v

.Patented June l, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNEssEs: v

E. S. FRENCH & W. H. CARSON. EASEL.

1 APPLICATION FILED NOV. I9. |913. 1,141,704. 111161116111111@ 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

///%V//////// J 0 y gil-WA l j E A ZB v ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENToEEIcE.

ELSAMUR S. FRENCH .AND

, i 'rl l"WALT-:ERI H. CARSON, OF DENVER, COLORADO; CARSON ASSIGNQR TGSAIIY FRENCH.

EASEL.

' T0 all whom/Muay concern.'

Beit knownthat we, ELsAMon S. FRENCH and WALTER H. CARSON, citizens ofthe United States, residingat Denver, inthe county of Denvdr and Stateof Colorado, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements inEasels, of which the follow ing is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in easelsand more particularly to that class of easel employed in enlarging,reducing, copying or 'lanternslide Work, when used in connection withartificial or daylight by photographers for dark room or finishing work;the object beingto provide an easel which is exceedingly.

simple and cheap in construction and one which is mounted upon acarriage in order to enable the same to be quickly adjusted into thedesired position for rthe purpose of obtaining the desired sized imagein enlarging or reducing a photograph or the like. Z

vide an easel with an adjustable mask which can be quickly adjusted toform any sized rectangle in order to obtain any portion/ of a negativerequired, which enables the photographer to make prints with square,clear-cut white borders of any size, or fancy or shaded borders, therebyovercoming the disadvantages now' existing with easels of this characternow in use.

Anotherand` lfurther object of the invention is to provide an easelwhich is cornposed of three frames; -one frame being rigidly mountedupon a movable support or carriage; the other two frames being ar'ranged within one another 'and vconnected v to the rst frame byspring-hinges in order ist to' allow the frames to be swung apart toenable the sensitive paper. or plate to Ibe quickly inserted between thegla'ss carried by the respective frames,`when the 4frames are in loweredposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide one of the frames with aground glass in order to enable thephotographer to focus the imagethereon before inserting the sensitive paper or plate between the plateglass and ground 'glass carried by the respective frames.

Another and further object of the inven` tion is to provide an easelWhich is carried fspecicatoh of Letters .'Pa'tent.

Another object of the invention is to pro? Another and still furtherobject of the invention is tov provide a Zmask composed of marginalstrips mounted upon threaded rods capable of moving in pairs toward and.Patented June 1, 1915.

I Application filed November 19, 1913. Serial No. 801,811.

soK

away from each other by the voperation ofV thumb knobs 'so as to adjustthe 'sizeof the Y rectangle within the strips in order to obtain theportion of the negative desired lor to form a clear-cut white, or shadedborder l on the print. Y

Other and vfurther objects and advantages of the invention-'willhereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by theappended claims. l v.

` In the drawings-Figure 1, is a perspective of our improvedconstruction of easel showing the application of the same vFig. 2, is anelevation partly-in section;.Fig. 3, is a jside elevation with themovable frames swungv apart; Fig. 4f, is adetail enlarged verticalsection through the easel; F ig. 5, is a detail section showing thearrangement ofthe threaded rods and operating gears for adjusting' themask strips; F ig. 6, is a detail t`op plan of the focusing means forobtaining the fine adjustment of the movable support; and F ig. "Z, is avertical section through a slightly modified form of easel.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several igures ofthe drawings.

In the dra-wings, l indicates an enlarging or copying camera having theusual lens 2 and provided with a light Kopening at its rear end in whichisadapted to be placed, a light such as a carbonarcor mercury arc forprojecting the negative arranged within the camera through the lens uponthe paper carried. by the easel, which will be later described.y Theabove description is given so that the operation of the easel used incon- 1 nection with an enlarging camera, can be readily understood andwhile we have shown /a camera. employing artificial light, it is ofcourse understood that daylight can be em* ployed in order to accomplishthe same result.A The light-tightbox of the, enlarging camera ispreferably ,formedof'suiiicient size to allow the insertion ofartificial li ghtS 3 at its forward end in such a position that the raystherefrom will be projected upon the image arranged upon a suitablesupportlarging camera can be employed,` or a camera constructedespecially for copying work can be employed.

When the easel is used in connection with,

an enlarging camera, the negative is mounted therein in the ordinarymanner and projected through the lens ofthe camera by a light a,eitherdaylight or artificial, onto the paper carried by the easel. Whenused in connection with copying work, an image is placed within the boaof the camera, but'it is of course understood that the light opening atthe rear end has been closed and the lights 8 turned on and the imagewill be projected through the enlarging -camera onto a sensitive plateor paper arranged within the easelin order to enlarge or reduce the sameas the case may be, and while we have illus'- trated acamera of thisparticular construc- 4 engagement with the rack so as to move the tion,we wish it'to be clearly undersood that our construction of easel canbeused in connection with any construction of camera and for anypurposedesired, without departing from the spirit of our invention; theabove descriptions being( given'so that theoperation of our improvedconstruction of camera, as willvbe hereinafter fully described, will beclearly understood when used for" enlarging orcopying work.

Extending forwardly from the front of vthe camera,` are parallel rails5,' 6 and 7 side rails 5 and 7 are grooved longitudinally and thecentral rail 6 is provided with a'- longitudinally extending'iT-shaped-groove in cross section, as clearly shown in lig. 2, for thepurpose hereinafter fully described.

, Mounted upon the rails 5, G and 7 is a carriage 8 comprising a base 9provided with depending guide members 10 fittingsnugly withinthe groovesof theoutside rails inorder to hold the carriage in proper'positionthereon as the same is moved backward and forward upon the track or inrespect tothe enlarging camera, when used in connection therewith.

'llldfbase 9 of thecarriage carries a headedA niaif/oa bolt 11; the headof which is arranged within adjusted position in respect to the enlarg-'.lhe rail 7 is preferably provided with a rack 13 along one sideadapted to be engaged ing camera..

by a mutilated gear 14: formed on the end of y a lever 15 which ispivotally mounted on a depending bracket 16 carried by the carriage 8 inorderyto move the carriage in either direction so as Ato obtain a iineadjustment in focusing the easel, and it will be seen that when themutilated gear is in the position shown in Fig. 6, thecarriage is freeto move upon the track in either direction it of course being understoodthat the knob nut 12 has been previously loosenedand after theinitialadjustmert has been made, the knob nut 12 is tightenedsufficiently to hold the carriage from being moved accidentally upon thetrack.

1 When it is desired to obtain a slight adjustment of the carriage ineither direction in focusing the easel, by operating the lever l5, themutilated gear will be thrown into carriage slightly upon the rails inthe desired direction.

rlhe base of the carriage 8 is provided with end supports 17 between`which is mounted, a rectangular wooden frame 18 which is held rmly in.a vertical position therein by any suitable means, and while we haveshown and described the frame 18 as being reinforced, upon its edges bymetal strips," itis' of course understood that anysui-table'construction of frame can be employed and that theconfiguration can be changed, but for ordinary purposes, areotangularframe is employed. We dol not wish to limit ourselves, however, to the.use of any particular material in constructing this frame, or to anyconfiguration, as in some instances it might-be found preferable toconstruct the same of metal and in another instance of .wood or theshape of the frame might be' changed.

rllhe frame 18 is secured firmly perpendicularly between the supportsv17 of the carriage in order to form a rigid support for thesupplemental frames, as will be later described. Mounted within theframe 18 is a frame 2'() formed of any suitable material which ts snugly.therein and is supported by a pair of compound spring hinges '21 at itslower edge and is held within the ily operated by' the photographer inorder` tion.

i with the' keeper. Thli's frame is also rectanguiar' in shape and isprovided with a thin plate glass 24 upon which the plate or paper isadapted to be placed, as will be hereinafter fully described.'

The side and end bars constituting' the `frame are provided withlongitudinal pockets' 25 having longitudinal slits in their inner facesadjacent the plate glass as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Arranged withinthese pockets', are threaded rods 26,27, 28 and 29 having op'posi'telythreaded end portions;

.said rods bein-g mounted in bearings v30, one 'being arrarrged` at eachend and at the middie of each rod and the rods are preferably grooved to'receive the bearings in order to prevent the .same from movinglongitudinally Within the pockets 25 as they are rotated.

The t'Wo horizontally threaded rods fare provided with beveled gears 31at one end, which mesh ivith beveled gears 32 carried by a shaft 33 onWhich is fixed a beveled. gear 34 meshing With a beveled gear 35c'arriedby a knob shaft 36 extending at right` angles to the horizontalrod.y The knob of this shaft 36, is arranged beyond the bar 'of theframe at the lower corner thereof in.

suc'h-a position that the saine can be readto rotate the threaded rods.either direc- The vertically threaded rods 26 :and 28 are c providedWithbeveled gears37 at their upper endswhichlnesh with beveled gears 38carried by an operating rod 39 arranged -in the top horizontal bar oftheframe; said rod carrying ak beveled gear 40'meshingwith a beveled gear4l carried by ay knob shaft 42 arrange-d at right angles theknob ofwhich, is arranged in such a position that the same can be readilylturned by'the photographer, and as shown in the/drawings, these knobsare prefer'ablyarranged in vertical position, one-above the other uponthe same side of the frame, but it is of course .understood that. theposition ofv these operating knobk shafts lis vimmaterial,as themaimfu'nctionthereof, ijs' to! provide means for facilitating the.rotation 0f the threadd'rods.

Mounted on the ends of the rods 26, 27,

v28 and 29er. to each of their longitudinal middles, are' nut portions43 of mask strips 44, the horizontal'mask strips overlapping theyertical mask "strips in such a manner that by operating the knob shafts36 and 42,

ythe "pair of vertical and' horizontal maskl strips can' be moved towardand-away from each other to forma rectangular opening of the desiredsize, vso as to eirpose' the portion of the negative desired or toform-the print A frame;

with a@ lessee width margin. These Strips `are preferably formed of thinsheet metal The conrpourdhiges 21 which are .carried by the fixed frame18 are provided with overlapping leaves 21', 212; the leaves 2l beingconnected to the frame 20 at its lower edge and the leaves 212 areconnected to the loyver edge of a frame which fits- 'snugly Within theframe 20 and this frame is provided with a plate of ground glass 46adapted to; clamp the plate or paper in posi-tion against the plateglass 24 over the mask strips 44, the springs yielding sufficiently toaccommodate the difference in thickness be'- tvveen a plate of glass andaV sheet of paper and the' springs normally have the tendency -toholdthe frame 45 Within the frame 20 and it will be seen that by rel-easin'the spring catch 2'2, the frame 20 with the rame -frame 2O by a springcatch 47 cooperating with a keeper 48 carried by the frame 20 in leeorderto hold the tvvo frames `in close relation with each other. By thisconstruction the freine 20 is free tomove in respect to the fra-me'18and the frame 45 is free to move in respect to the frame 20 or theframel 20 with the frame 45 can be moved together.

Upon the ground glass 46, a central vertical line is marked which isintercepted by a horizontal centrally arranged line; these io'S lines'being' graduated in order to form a scale and they may be/formed uponthe ground glass by etching or by permanently affix'infg thereto, a thinstrip of any suitable material. Thisenables the correct placing isemployed for clamping vthe plate or paper against -the plate glass ofthe frame 2Q .by means of the spring members 51 and while we have shownthis form, it isfof course understood that various other changes incong, mamon struction can be made without departing mounted in respectto the other frame, glass from the spirit of our invention. platescarried by said movable frames having From the foregoing description, itwillbe a contacting faces, means for v.locking said K seen that we haveprovided an easel which frames within one another, one of said glass isconstructed of a series of` framesone arplates being 'a focusing glass,and mask ranged within the other, one of the frames strips carried byone of said frames having being provided with a' plate glass and the`means for moving said strips in respect tov other with a ground glassheld in contact by each other. spring hinges in order to hold the-paperor `8. An easel, comprising a series of vertiplate between the glasses.lt will also be cally .disposed nesting frames, one of Isaid seen thatwe have provided `a masking de` frames being provided with a plain glassvice in connection with one of the frames and the other with a focusingglass, andA composed of a series of right-angled armeans for holdingsaid glass plates 1n conranged strips mounted upon threaded'rods tactwith one another. which are operated Vby knobs carried by shafts havingdriving connections with the frames, one of said frames being providedthreadedrods for moving the strips toward with av plate glass and-theother with a and away from each other. focusing glass having positioninglines l/Ve claim: marked thereon, and means for holding said 1. Aneasel, comprising a frame having a glass plates in contact .with oneanother. plate glass. arranged therein, and a second 10. An easel,comprisinga series of nest-4 frame movably mounted in respect to the ingframes, two of said frames being prQy first frame', having a groundglass arranged vided with plates of glass contacting with.Y thereinadapted to contact withthe plate one another one of said glass platesbeing glass. a focusing glass, one of said framesbeing Q. An easel,comprising a series oli-nesting provided with horizontally andvertically frames, two of said frames being provided arranged maskstrips, and means for operwith contacting glass plates, and a carriageating said mask strips. for supporting said frames, one of said 1l. Aneasel, comprising a series of nestplates being a focusing glass. ingframes, one of said frames being pro- 3. An easel, comprising a framehaving vided with a plate glass, andanother of pockets formed in theside bars thereof, .said frames being provided with a ground threadedrods mounted in said pockets, glass plate contacting with the plainglass mask strips connecting said rods and proplate, and mask stripscarried by the frame vided with nuts mounted upon said rods, with theplate glass and contacting with the and means for rotating said threadedrods inner face thereof, said mask stripsvbeing to move said mask stripstoward and away arranged in pairs, and means for independfrom eachother. l ently moving each `pair of mask strips in 4C. An easel,comprising a frame having unison. pockets formed in `the side barsprovided l2. An easel, comprising 'a frame-having with longitudinalslits, rods mountedin said a plate glass arranged therein, theside andpockets provided with oppositely threaded end bars of said frame beingprovided with ends, mask strips provided with nuts mountlongitudinallyarranged pockets having slits ed upon said rods, and means for 'rotatingcommunicating therewith in. their inner said rods foradjusting said maskstrips in edges, rods revolubly mounted in said respect t0 0I1e anotherpockets having. oppositely threaded ends,

9. An easel, comprising a series of nesting vim 5. A photographicAeasel, comprising a mask strips contacting with rthe inner face Amovablecarriage, a frame fixed to said carof said plate glass havingnuts at their ends riage, a second frame nesting in the fixed mountedupon said threaded rods, and means frame having a plate glass securedtherein, for rotating said r`ods for adjusting said and a third framenesting within the second mask strips in respectv to each other. framehaving a ground glass arranged thereL in coacting with the platejglass.

6. An easel, comprising a vertically. arsaid carriage, a plate` glassarranged within ranged Xed frame, a pair of nesting frames said frame.said frame being. provided with carried 'by said fixed frame and adaptedto longitudinal pockets in its side members, lfit within the same, saidnesting frames behaving longitudinal slots communicating ing capable ofmoving in respect to each with the inner edges thereof, oppositely.other, means for'loclnng said frames one threaded rods mounted to rotatein saidwithin the other, and glass plates arrangedfpockets, metal`-strips having nuts at their .within said nesting frames havingcontactends mounted upon the respective ends of ing faces, one of saidglass plates being a said threaded rods, and knob ,shafts havingfocusing plate. r driving connections with said threaded rods 7. Aneasel, comprising a series of nesting for moving said strips in pairstoward and frames, two of said frames being movably away from eachother.

13. In an easel, the combinationwith aA movable carriage, of a framemounted upon- 1i. An easel, comprising a frame provided with a plateglass and having ongitudinal pockets formed in' its side and endmembers, said pockets Communicating with longitudinal slits formed inthe inner edges of said side and end members, oppositely threaded rodsrevolubly mounted in said pockets, mask strips provided with nunsmounted upon said rods, gears carried by said rods, driven shaftsprovided with mesh ing gears, and knob shafts having driving connectionswith said driven shafts for revolving said rods for moving said maskstrips in pairs toward and away from each other.

In testimony whereof we afIiX our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ELSAMUR S. FRENCH. WALTER H. CARSON.

l Witnesses:

W. A. HART, L. M. PRATT.

